Locking stanchion for cattle

Abstract

A locking stanchion for cattle in which a plurality of release rails are pivotally mounted at their lower ends on a bottom rail and connected at their upper ends to a reciprocally mounted master release rod for simultaneous movement between a vertical closed position and a slightly angular open position. A release bracket removably connects the upper end of each of the release rails to the master release rod for selective opening of any of the release rails while the others remain in closed position. The release bracket has one end thereof pivotally connected to the upper end of the release rail and the opposite end has a portion removably extending into an opening in the master release rod. A manually releasable mechanism which may include a spring maintains the bracket in engagement with the release rod.

I claim: 
     
       1. In a cattle locking stanchion of the type in which a plurality of substantially vertically extending release rails are pivotally mounted at their lower ends on a bottom rail, extend above a top rail, and are associated at their upper ends with a horizontally extending, reciprocally mounted master release rod located above said top rail and operative for simultaneous movement of all said release rails between a vertical closed position and a slightly angular open position, the improvement comprising: a horizontally elongated release bracket for each of said release rails, each said release bracket having one end thereof pivotally connected to the upper end of one of said release rails for movement about a transverse pivot axis, the opposite end of said release bracket having a portion comprising a transverse pin removably received in an upwardly opening detent provided in said master release rod, said detent including opposite undercut extremities for receiving said pin and preventing said pin from moving upwardly whereby said pin must be generally centrally located in said detent for upward movement, and bias means carried by said upper end of said one of said release rails and engaged upon said release bracket and urging said pin downwardly into said detent whereby all of said release rails are movable between said open and closed positions upon reciprocation of said master release rod, each said release bracket being manually upwardly pivotable against the bias of said bias means whereby the associated one of said release rails is pivotable independently of the others of said release rails. 
     
     
       2. In a cattle locking stanchion of the type in which a plurality of substantially vertically extending release rails are pivotally mounted at their lower ends on a bottom rail, extend above a top rail, and are associated at their upper ends with a horizontally extending, reciprocally mounted master release rod located above said top rail and operative for simultaneous movement of all of said release rails between a vertical closed position and a slightly angular open position, the improvement comprising: a horizontally elongated release bracket for each of said release rails, each said release bracket having one end thereof pivotally connected to the upper end of one of said release rails for movement about a transverse pivot axis, the opposite and of said release bracket having a first portion removably received in an upwardly opening detent provided in said master release rod, the weight of said first portion urging said first portion downwardly into said detent whereby all of said release rails are movable between said open and closed positions upon reciprocation of said master release rod, each said release bracket being manually upwardly pivotable whereby the associated one of said release rails is pivotable independently of the others of said release rails, each said detent including opposite undercut extremities for receiving said first portion and preventing said first portion from moving upwardly whereby said first portion must be generally centrally located in said detent for upward movement. 
     
     
       3. The cattle locking stanchion improvement of claim 2 wherein said release bracket includes a second portion located on the side of said pivot axis opposite said first portion, said second portion being engageable with said master release rod to limit the degree of upward pivotal movement of said first portion whereby said first portion is adapted to pivot back toward said detent in the absence of manual actuation upwardly.